Freed BHP Billiton miner back with family

A 38-YEAR-OLD BHP Billiton miner trapped more than 1km underground
for 16 hours has been reunited with his wife and four-year-old son.

But his overnight ordeal has led to calls from the Australian Manufacturing
Workers Union for a Senate inquiry into safety at West Australian mines,
because it says companies are putting profits before safety.

The experienced miner, who did not want to be identified, was working at
BHP's Perseverance mine at Leinster, 370km north of Kalgoorlie on
Wednesday afternoon when an earth tremor made part of the mine's
roof collapse.

While 70 of his co-workers were able to escape to the surface, the worker
was trapped by the rockfall. Realising he had been trapped, he walked
about 150m to one of the mine's safety refuge stations where he had access
to water, lighting, bathroom facilities and a phone line.

While trapped, the miner was in regular contact with control- room
workers and was able to speak to his wife and mother.

BHP's Nickel West president Wayne Isaacs said the worker had followed
procedures and remained calm. Mr Isaacs said the miner's main concern
was that rescuers were not injured trying to free him.
He said the rescue operation was a well-planned process that involved
the removal of about 500 tonnes of earth.

Mr Isaacs said the successful rescue, completed early yesterday morning,
showed that BHP had the procedures in place to protect its workers, but
Steve McCartney, West Australian secretary of the AMWU, said the
company's safety record was "atrocious".

Between September last year and April this year, five people have died at
BHP's Pilbara mine sites in WA's north.

Mr McCarthy said the union had called for months for the state
government to take action against the mining giant, but nothing
had happened.

"We're sick of waiting for the state government to lift a finger to ensure
the safety of WA workers, so we're appealing to the federal government,"
he said. He said a Senate inquiry was necessary to examine the issue.

State Mines Minister Norman Moore said a major overhaul of mine safety
was under way and heknew the government had to "lift its game".